


Touch Warm, Melt Lips

by dietcoked



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon?, Fluff and Angst, Jaeno, M/M, Mentioned Mark Lee (NCT), Mentioned NCT Ensemble, Mentioned Nakamoto Yuta, NCT Dream - Freeform, dreamies are the cutest, i just love nomin so much, i missed na jaemin so much, idk lol, it came out more angsty than intended tbh, nct dream is the best unit fight me, nct yearbook, nomin, these two make me emo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 12:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13881183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dietcoked/pseuds/dietcoked
Summary: Jaemin moves back into the NCT Dorm, and Jeno finally gets the chance to tell him how he really feels.





	Touch Warm, Melt Lips

**Author's Note:**

> Nomin is back and writing this is my coping mechanism.

It’s a Wednesday when Jaemin shows up unannounced at the NCT Dorm after over a year of absence. Jeno hears a commotion in the living room – a mixture of high pitched Chenle squeals and Donghyuck exclamations, mostly – and pulls out his earphones, leaving his laptop on his bed. Though he’d never admit it, his heart stills completely as Jaemin’s laugh fills their apartment for the first time in _forever_ but also no time at all.

He can only stand there like a lemon, waiting for his turn to hug the boy he’d been thinking about every day since he left. They’d been in touch a little, sure, but the things he truly wanted to say couldn’t really be said over text, and maybe not even in words. That was one of the things he’d missed the most, was when Jaemin would meet his gaze, look in Jeno’s eyes and really _see_ what he was feeling, like some kind of creepy sixth sense.

If he had thought Jaemin would have lost this ability, he proves him wrong the instant they make eye contact. Jaemin is still devastatingly handsome, even with his black hair hanging messily over his forehead and wearing a sweater far too big – something he’d always done on purpose, to Jeno’s chagrin, because they made him look so soft. The younger boy breaks into a heart wrenchingly beautiful smile, all teeth, as he moves forward to embrace him, lips brushing his ear.

“It’s been a while, No Jams.”

-

“Did you always stare so much?” Jaemin asks without even looking over, too preoccupied with packing his clothes back into his old drawers. Jeno’s eyes drop back down to his laptop. “I can feel it you know.” He says in absence of a reply.

Jeno thinks that yes, he probably did always stare this much, but he used to be much better at hiding it. It feels surreal that Jaemin is moving back into the room they shared a lifetime ago, like a dream and he can’t find it in himself to be less obvious.

Jaemin may have retained his ability to gauge Jeno’s feelings from one glance, but he found the younger as hard to read as ever. Had he even missed him at all? The way he was unpacking so calmly without any fuss would suggest not. But then again, he’d always been very calm – even when they’d been promoting and Jaemin was in a world of pain with his spine, he never made anything of it.

It’s this thought that gets him off his bed, reaching for a pile of Jaemin’s clothes to pack away with him. They say Jaemin’s better now, but he can’t help but wonder if pain like that can truly disappear.

“Thanks,” Jaemin utters. A long silence passes as they unpack the suitcase together. The smell of his best friend is so familiar that it takes him right back to the night he’d left all that time ago.

It was a Wednesday when Jaemin packed up his things and left. Jeno had been upset, but he hadn’t cried (although now he thinks he might have, had he realised how long Jaemin would be gone for).

Back then he’d told him he should hurry up and get better, before hugging him as tightly as he was certain wouldn’t hurt.

“Wow, No Jams… has anyone ever told you you’re kind of clingy?” Jaemin had laughed, pulling out of the hug until they were nose to nose. Jeno could only nod and hope that Jaemin’s eye reading sixth sense was working that day.

Evidently it was, because Jaemin had leant up and pressed his lips gently to his own, before pulling back and resting their foreheads together, squeezing his hand.

Jeno never told him he loved him, though his eyes must’ve been screaming I LOVE YOU in blaring, neon lights.

Jaemin clears his throat. “Dude, sweaters go in that drawer.”

Jeno is suddenly thrown back to his senses, where he looks down and realises he’s been sitting here holding Jaemin’s sweater for a good few minutes. Instead of putting it away, he sets it down again, grabbing Jaemin’s wrist as he reaches for something in the suitcase.

Jaemin’s eyes travel from where Jeno is gripping up to his face, questioning.

“You didn’t even call,” Jeno says in an embarrassingly small voice, unable to even look up. Jaemin’s lips form a line.

“Neither did you, No Jams,” he says quietly, a sad smile on his lips. “Anyone would think you didn’t even miss me.” Jeno tightens the grip he has on Jaemin’s wrist, finally allowing himself to meet his eyes. Surely he couldn’t believe that, right?

“Anyone would think… you didn’t even _kiss_ me.”

And bang, it’s out there.

Jeno knows he sounds unsure of himself. Hell, he’s even wondered sometimes if he just imagined the whole thing and it was some crazy vivid dream, but then he thinks about how soft Jaemin’s lips felt and he knows he didn’t make it up.

When Jaemin doesn’t say anything for a while, Jeno thinks he might’ve screwed up. “Nana, I missed you. I really, really missed you. I’m sorry, for not calling. At first I was busy, and then…”

“And then, you didn’t know what to say?” Jaemin asks, though it’s more of a confirmation. “Wow, No Jams. It’s been a year. How are you _exactly_ the same?” He shakes his head, laughing. Jeno can’t believe he can laugh in this situation.

He stares back in awe for a little while. Na Jaemin is really something.

“Hey, earth to No Jams.” He calls, waving a hand in front of Jeno’s face. “I told you the sweater drawer is over there.”

-

Renjun decides they should cook Jaemin a welcome back dinner. Jeno knows this is bad, because there’s only one Dreamie that can cook, and that is Na Jaemin himself.

They are alerted to the impending disaster by Chenle’s squealing not long after Donghyuck takes charge of the venture, and rush in to the kitchen to find the pan on fire. Donghyuck still insists nothing is wrong, despite the blaze, whilst Jisung stands in the corner eating from a pack of chips, largely unhelpful.

It’s not until Renjun runs in with the fire extinguisher from the hall that Donghyuck seems to accept defeat, though he makes everyone promise not to tell Mark.

Jaemin ends up sourcing enough ingredients to make a miscellaneous stew ( _“Dream-beokki!”_ Chenle later names it.), forcing everyone except Jeno out of the kitchen, who listens intently as Jaemin shows him the way he should cut the onions and sausages.

Wow, that boy’s side profile was really something, Jeno couldn’t help but think. His nose sloped prettily and his lips – well Jeno already spent far too much time thinking about them. His black hair reminded him of when they were trainees. Back then, before they met the other members, Jaemin had been his only friend, and reached out to him even though Jeno was quiet and kept to himself. Jaemin really had never needed Jeno the way he needed Jaemin, because he’s always been popular and well-liked, but that had never stopped him from reaching out to Jeno, and for that he was grateful.

The more he sat and thought about it, the guiltier he felt. Jaemin had been nothing but a good friend to Jeno, and Jeno couldn’t even call when Jaemin was sick.

“Ah!” Jeno winces as he slices his finger on the knife.

“Did I not just tell you twenty seconds ago to be careful?” Jaemin sighs, grabbing his finger and yanking it away from the onions. Jeno wants to say that it’s his fault, for being so damn distracting, but he’s never been that good at expressing what he feels, so just mumbles a ‘sorry’. Jaemin’s expression softens. “Does it hurt?” he asks.

Jeno doesn’t have time to respond before Jaemin is lifting his finger to his lips, and he watches practically in slow motion as Jaemin sucks on it. Where in the past, Jaemin would make Jeno’s heart still, this time he causes the opposite effect, as it starts pumping double time instead.

He shakes his head no, because Jeno can’t feel pain, or anything really, other than whatever crazy feeling Jaemin is inciting in him.

After bandaging his finger up, Jaemin doesn’t let Jeno participate in the rest of the food preparation. Eventually, the Dream-beokki is served, and Jeno decides it’s the most delicious thing he’s ever tasted, and that that is absolutely not because Jaemin made it. Not at all.

-

Despite the kitchen disasters, it’s a relatively quiet night. Everyone is at home now that Mark had moved out, which is weird, because usually there’s at least someone at the practice room or out and about somewhere. And even weirder because the bed on the other side of the room is occupied.

Tomorrow, they’ll have to start the preparations for this new comeback, kicking off with a photoshoot for the new year. Tomorrow, things will get crazy, and Jeno knows he’ll probably be constantly tired for the next few months.

It’s hard to feel tired right now though, when Jaemin’s steady breaths fill the space between their beds.

Two years ago, on nights like this, Jaemin would always climb into his bed, and even though Jeno wasn’t the cuddliest, he’d made exceptions for Nana.

“Lee Jeno.” Jaemin scolds, sitting up and flicking his lamp on.

“Yeah?”

“Can you stop thinking? It’s really loud and I’m trying to sleep.”

“I-”

Jaemin hops from his bed and crosses the distance to Jeno, where he waits patiently for the older boy to lift his covers and accommodate him.

Jaemin is warm as he nuzzles his head into Jeno’s chest, which means he can most definitely feel the speed and force with which Jeno’s heart is beating.

“I thought I was leaving for good.” He admits into Jeno’s shirt, earning a ‘huh?’. “When I got sick… I really thought I wouldn’t be able to dance anymore. I know I didn’t say anything, but it was really touch and go for a while if I’d come back at all.”

Jeno swallows.

“Is that why you did it then?”

“What? Is that why I kissed you?” Jeno can hear the smile on Jaemin’s face. “No. I kissed you cos I’d wanted to for a while, and I figured I’d be able to downplay it if I got a crushing rejection.”

His hands run down Jeno’s side until he finds his fingers.

“I gotta say though, I don’t know why I was ever concerned. I don’t know if you realise, but you’re pretty easy to read.” He says, pressing their hands over the centre of Jeno’s chest, where his heart is thrashing like never before at Jaemin’s sudden confession.

“You’re also…” He tilts his head, peering up at Jeno through his lashes. “very cute. Did I ever mention that?”

“I think I’d remember if you mentioned that.”

It’s funny how, after months of replaying the day Jaemin left and rehearsing all the things he should have said in his head, he now can’t recall any of it. Well, except one bit.

They fall into a comfortable silence, and his heartbeat subsides to a somewhat less concerning speed. He even allows himself to reach out and run a finger over the curves and contours of Jaemin’s face, brushing along his eyes, down his nose and over his lips, and is only half surprised when Jaemin delivers a small kiss to his fingertip.

It feels nice like this, almost like old times. Although that was before they kissed for the first time, before they’d been separated and before Jaemin had flat out confessed, and he can’t deny it’s a different feeling having Jaemin curled up against him like this now.

“I already told you to stop thinking so loudly, Lee Jeno!” Jaemin demands, stretching out and rolling over to cage him underneath him, head between his arms.

Before Jeno can apologise, Jaemin’s mouth is descending onto his own. It’s sudden and Jeno’s heartbeat picks up on the change before anything else does, though he eventually manages to respond, moving his lips over Jaemin’s in a way that feels natural. He really doesn’t know what he’s doing, seeing as he’s never kissed anyone before ( _this way, at least. He has a feeling when Jaemin’s tongue pops into his mouth that this is the ‘real kiss’ Yuta-hyung was describing to him a few months back.)_ but he seems to figure out what to do. Lord knows he nearly melts when Jaemin’s hand comes up to cup the side of his face.

When they do eventually pull away, even Jaemin looks sheepish, with pink cheeks and pinker lips and Jeno thinks no one has ever looked better. With a new found boldness, he finds himself holding Jaemin’s gaze, teeth digging into his lower lip as he solidifies his resolve.

“Nana… I love you.”

He doesn’t know what reaction he was expecting, but it wasn’t for Jaemin to giggle and wiggle his eyebrows, cooing ‘ _you loveeeee me, you lurvvveee me’._

He waits for the teasing to subside, and eventually Jaemin settles back into his chest.

“I love you too, by the way. And if you didn’t know that already you’re completely stupid.” He whispers, and Jeno happily accepts that he is indeed, completely, stupidly in love with him.

-

(They’re completely inseparable the next day at the photoshoot, which doesn’t go unnoticed. Jaemin flirts outrageously, calling Jeno handsome on and off camera whilst his hand almost never leaves Jeno’s thigh.

“Stop liking me, Nana,” Jeno drawls when he realises the camera Jaemin is holding is recording, though he’d never mean such a thing.

“You liked me first.” Is Jaemin’s response, and Jeno thinks he’s not wrong.)

**Author's Note:**

> "stop liking me", "you liked me first" is my favourite thing ever and i will never let it die


End file.
